West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s party Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been given a status of national party. The Election Commission announced TMC as the seventh national political party of India on Friday.
According to the requirements laid down in the Symbols (Reservation and allotment) Order, 1968, which was amended last month, TMC was able to comply with all the required necessities. The three conditions set by the Election Commission are:
1) A party should have 2% seats in the Lok Sabha from three different states and these members are elected from at least three different States.
2) It should have 6% the total valid votes polled in any four or more states, in addition, it should win at least four seats in the Lok Sabha.
3) It needs to recognised as a “state party” in at least four states.
The newly introduced amendment will allow all parties to retain their national party status for 10 years.
Trinamool Congress will join the brigade of national parties that includes Bhartiya Janta Party, Indian National Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party, Nationalist Congress Party, Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India (Marxist), that are recognised as national parties.
